


Don't use Justice as a scratching post

by aboxofbees



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Genre: M/M, it's mostly cuteness with fade spirits and cats, there's only a teensy bit of anders/justice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-19
Updated: 2015-07-19
Packaged: 2018-04-10 04:31:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4377293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aboxofbees/pseuds/aboxofbees
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Justice meets Anders' new cat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't use Justice as a scratching post

**Author's Note:**

> prompt by felixbug: Anders gets a cat and Justice is curious about it, Anders helps Justice learn how to interact nicely with small furry creatures.
> 
> kind of a sequel to A Ball of Fluff, but words fine as a standalone *u*

After coming into his clinic the previous week, the cat hadn’t left. Anders always kept the doors closed unless there was someone actively walking through it – he never truly felt safe with them open – but there were plenty of cat-sized holes and gaps she could have left through if she had wanted; especially because she was so tiny. She stuck close to him, rubbing at his ankles when he walked, and perching on a box or in a corner when Anders was treating patients.

Anders was completely besotted with the small ball of fluff. Having spent some time with her, the mage had concluded that was wasn’t a kitten, just a naturally small and probably underweight adult cat. Her true weight and physique was hard to determine, however, because of the pure volume of fluff that she carried around with her. Almost all ginger with apart from a white stripe across her nose that reminded Anders fondly of Hawke, he had named her Princess Fire-Paws, much to the bemusement of Justice.

The spirit had been confused about the cat from the moment she’d been enticed in by the milk Anders had left out. This small furry creature appeared both to be sentient; in some aspects even more so than humans; and yet not so. He certainly had never encountered anything quite like it in the Fade. And yet his mage seemed to be incredibly fond of it. He cooed and ‘awww’ed and scratched behind its ears and even seemed to be positively entranced even when it used his leg as a scratching post.

When that had happened, Justice surged to the foreground, skin crackling and light spiralling out to reflect slightly off the walls and ceiling of the clinic, giving the entire room a faintly blue hue. What dared _threaten_ his mage, what _dared_ break his skin without permission? The cat had yowled in fright, leaping away from the spirit inhabiting Anders’ form, careening off into some darkened corner to quake in feline terror. Justice had intended to follow it; to show this creature what happened to those who caused harm to this being; but was held back by Anders emanating concern and encouraging restraint, pulsing in the back of his mind. It had taken Fire-Paws two days to come near Anders again.

 ---

Anders sat on the floor and settled his back against a wall, having forgone considering the origins of the questionable stains long ago. Soft paws gently padded over to him, sitting next to him an ‘mrow’ing softly. Anders reached out a lazy hand and tickled behind the cat’s ears, in what he now knew to be her favourite form of affection. In his mind, Justice pushed forwards slightly, tendrils of feeling stretching down Anders’ fingers, trying to experience what this fluffy creature felt like. Anders grinned to himself, and then frowned slightly, pondering an idea. He made kissy noises at Fire-Paws, enticing her closer.

“Hey there Princess. How’re you doing sweetheart?” Fire-Paws ‘mrow’ed at him. “Now, I know last time you met Justice you didn’t get the best of first impressions, but I think he’d really like to meet you properly?” The cat gazed at him plaintively.

Eyes looking upwards as if talking to his own head, Anders spoke again. “How about it, love?”

A wave of nervousness came from Justice.

“You just… have to be gentle. She doesn’t always use me as a scratching post,” Anders looked back at Fire-Paws and put on a cutesy tone, “do you Princess? No you don’t, no you don’t!”

A wave of affectionate scorn pulsed through Anders’ head. Anders huffed. “Do you want to meet the cat or not?”

There was nothing for a beat. And then tentative affirmation. The corner of Anders’ mouth twitched upwards.

“Okay. Be gentle, okay? And don’t touch her tail, she doesn’t like that. And try not to glow too much, that’ll scare her. And…” He was cut off mid-sentence by Justice pressing forwards softly. Anders chuckled under his breath. “Oh alright.” He closed his eyes and drifted to the back of his own mind as the spirit came to the foreground.  

As smoothly as he attempted to arrive, cracks of blue snaked up Anders’ skin as Justice opened his eyes. Fire-Paws sharply took several steps back in distrust, but didn’t leave entirely, sensing a different attitude to last time Anders had not been Anders.

Justice looked at the cat. The creature was… very small. Its poise indicated nervousness and he could tell from the line of its form that, if it chose, it could jump away and be gone almost instantly. He tilted his head, still looking directly at the creature. The cat. It…

The emotional equivalent of clearing your throat pointedly at someone was directed at Justice from Anders.

She?

A pulse of approval.

Fire-Paws took a step closer to Justice and then sat on her haunches, staring back at him inquisitively. She flicked her ears at him when he spoke, his voice different from Anders’.

“Hello, furry mortal.”

She stood up and padded up to him slowly, sitting back down once she reached his leg. Justice reached out and stroked her, and then again. He delighted in the softness and give of her coat, the fine fluff running through his fingers as he ran is hand down her back. He was careful not to touch her tail, heeding Anders’ warning and mildly concerned that if he aggravated her, she would once again use Anders, his, leg as a scratching post. He may be a millennia-old Fade spirit, but those claws _stung_. He spoke to her, voice rich and rumbling, but with notes of approval.

“Anders’ name for you is appropriate, furry mortal. I see now. Your weapons, your paws, are capable of causing your foes to feel fire.”

Behind his eyes, Justice could feel Anders laughing hysterically. Justice’s mouth quirked in his own brand of smile, liking the feeling of the mortal happy.

Beneath his hand, Fire-Paws started purring and Justice observed closely the vibrations of the noise travel up his fingers and arm, noting how… satisfying it felt. He almost felt a sense of accomplishment at having managed to make this small creature content.

He moved his hand to scratch behind her ears as he had seen Anders do countless times. The cat closed her eyes blissfully, purrs vibrating through her whole body.

At the back of his head, Anders melted. This, he thought to himself, must be joy.


End file.
